Mario Cucinella, is the curator of the Italian Pavilion at the London Design Biennale 2021

Established in 2016 by Sir John Sorrell CBE and Ben Evans CBE, London Design Biennale promotes international collaboration and the global role of design with exhibitions and installations that “demonstrate the ambition to create universal solutions to problems which concern us all.” The London Design Biennale welcomes the world’s most exciting and ambitious designers, innovators and cultural bodies to the capital, from 1-27 June 2021, curated by Artistic Director Es Devlin.

Devlin has chosen Resonance as the 2021 theme, which up to 50 countries and territories will respond to in their installations and presentations.

“TERRA is the principal substrata of life and the foundation for a new sustainable way of living on our planet.” This is the thinking behind Mario Cucinella’s “TERRA” (EARTH), video-installation chosen to represent Italy at the London Design Biennale 2021.

“TERRA” is a short movie that tells a story about our capacity to adapt to climate challenges, making the most of the oldest material in history – earth – to find light in the darkness of tomorrow and, if necessary, turn it on.

Through the research and design of Mario Cucinella Architects, the 3d printing technology of WASP and the pictures of traditional adobe (mud brick) construction by photographer Iago Corazza, Terra shows what can be accomplished if we mindfully combine our technical knowledge with learnings from the past. Visitors can reflect upon how humans have developed the ability to design and build resilient ecosystems, using natural and local materials, and what lessons can be learned and applied for future solutions.

More information on TERRA can be found here.

More information on the 2021 Pavilions can be found here.